Tsubohachi, a 40 Year Old Japanese Izakaya

Tsubohachi Izakaya, one of Hokkaido, Japan’s most famous izakaya outlets has finally made its way across the sea to Indonesia. Boasting more than 300 branches in Japan alone, Tsubohachi has been a symbol of consistent quality for more than 40 years.

An izakaya is an informal dining establishment found all over Japan where colleagues can go to talk after work over drinks. However the Tsubohachi Izakaya in Jakarta has been transformed into a casual family-friendly restaurant with plenty of semi-private booths and child-friendly menu items. The interior is clean and bright, the seats are comfortable and the prices are reasonable.

Tsubohachi Izakaya Jakarta opened just last week and already has a steady flow of regular guests. Japanese expats and frequent visitors to the land of the rising sun welcomed Tsubohachi Izakaya with open arms. While some of the offerings may differ, the quality is the same.

Presenting a menu that spans kushiage, sashimi, nabe, and many other dishes, there really is something for everyone.

Everything in Tsubohachi Izakaya Jakarta is made fresh to order. We started the day off with the Tsubohachi Green Salad (IDR 48.000), a light, crunchy salad made of lettuce, white radish, cucumber, peppers, cherry tomatoes and rice crackers tossed in a sesame dressing.

There are quite a few light snacks for you to choose from. Like in an izakaya, the pace is casual and you are encouraged to share.

When these dishes came out, we felt like we were in a traditional Japanese home eating breakfast for the first time!
The Hakusai Butaniku Kasane Nabe (白菜豚肉重ねなべ – IDR 85.000) was definitely my personal favourite out of everything – while it may not be flashy or anything new and exciting, the flavours were subtle but delicious and the meat was very tender.

Hakusai (白菜) is a popular vegetable often used in Japanese and Korean cooking – you probably know it as napa cabbage. Butaniku(豚肉) means pork, kasane (重ね) means layers. Together, the name describes the dish perfectly. A multi-layered napa cabbage and pork dish cooked in an earthenware pot. We definitely recommend this.

Of course, you can’t have a Japanese breakfast without miso and Saba Shioyaki (さば塩焼き – IDR 60.000) or grilled mackarel seasoned with salt. You can also choose to have it simmered nitsuke style.

If you’re craving some sushi or sashimi, however, go right ahead. Everything is imported from Japanese waters so you can expect the highest quality. It’s not every day you get the chance to eat raw prawns, after all.

At the end of the day, we recommend Tsubohachi Izakaya to those craving a high quality Japanese food fix without the hefty price tag. As Japanese cuisine becomes more and more popular amongst Indonesians, it becomes much easier to find good Japanese food around every corner. RR Lifestyle Group plans on expanding its Tsubohachi Izakaya restaurants across Jakarta, so if Pantai Idah Kapuk is too far for you, don’t worry, you’ll have a Tsubohachi Izakaya near you soon.